I love to eat fruit, specifically berries – strawberries, blackberries, raspberries – all the berries! If you remember from my strawberry cupcakes post, I almost died trying to shove the largest strawberry I’d ever seen in my mouth. I’ve slowed down since those days, but I can still eat an entire container of fruit in one sitting. I think that may be one major reason why summer is my favorite season.
The problem with winter is that berries are usually out of season (weirdly I’ve been buying incredibly delicious raspberries at an insanely cheap price the last few weeks – but I’m pretty sure that’s a fluke). I really want something fresh and bright and was working on some scones that I was using blood oranges and thought – why not make a citrus salad.
Tons of citrus is in season; navel oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes. Let’s take advantage of what’s going on. I added a little mint, some chopped avocado (because truthfully I really can’t eat a salad without it), plus some cashews that I had laying around. Then I drizzled it all with the most insanely delicious poppy seed dressing.
I was really just throwing things together for this dressing and then found myself licking the jar I mixed it in. Classy – I know, but it’s that good!
I then had friends oven and served it to them (along with a ton of desserts) and one commented, “I would’ve never thought to order something like this in a restaurant, but this is amazing!”
Hate to brag here, but this winter citrus salad with poppy seed dressing was incredible. And the dressing – I could put it on sand and eat it!
ingredients
winter citrus salad
1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced
2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced
1 navel orange, peeled and sliced
1 cora cora orange, peeled and sliced
1 avocado, diced
8-10 mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped cashews
poppy seed dressing
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup olive oil
instructions
winter Citrus Salad
To assemble, layer slices of citrus. I tried to layer so that no same color was touching, but feel free to get creative.
Sprinkle with diced avocado, mint leaves and cashews.
Drizzle with poppy seed dressing.
poppy seed dressing
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.
Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
